SEAToday.com, Jakarta-They say Christmas brings joy, and it's true! Those who feel lonely throughout the year may feel merrier and brighter during the holiday. The magic of Christmas pertains through the years.

It drives the global music industry to create Christmas albums. Some make it big, and some are not so great. Challenges make the competition of composing Christmas songs even more interesting. Pop diva Mariah Carey also joined in on the fun. She is the lady behind "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Here's her story.

People sometimes need an escape from their mundane lives, so does Mariah Carey. The singer, born on March 27, 1969, in Huntington, New York, has been singing all her life. Her talent wasn't used for fun, but to serve as her perfect escape from problems.

It was especially true when her parents got divorced. She sang in her free time and earned money from it. Her vocal abilities impressed many people. She eventually decided to move to New York City.

Mariah chased her dream to become a singer. She got her big break when she had the opportunity to have Sony Music leader Tommy Mottola listen to her demo. He loved what he heard.

For him, not every singer had good vocal quality, especially having the five-octave range in them. Mariah got in and released her self-titled debut album in 1990.

"After her debut album produced hits such as Vision of Love, Someday, and I Don't Wanna Cry, she skyrocketed. A source said that her contract value reached 20 million US dollars per album, which was how much Julia Roberts earned when she was the highest-paid Hollywood actress. Luther Vandross agreed to sing a duet with her in Endless Love, composed by Lionel Richie in 1994," Denny M.R. wrote in a Tempo article titled "Emas di Tenggorokan Sang Diva" released on February 29, 2004.

Making Christmas Album

Mariah gained confidence following the success of her debut album, which earned her two Grammy awards, one for being the Best New Artist and the other for being the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, which she won with "Vision of Love".

Her success drove her to continue being productive. Her second album, "Emotions", was released in 1991, and "Music Box" in 1993. The latter became a big hit. However, Mariah wanted to step out of her comfort zone.

She needed new challenges so that she doesn't get stuck. She wanted to create a Christmas album, which is no easy feat, as she has never been involved in Christmas music projects.

She struggled at first, but had help from famous songwriter Walter Afanasieff. The two worked well together, composing "All I Want For Christmas Is You" in such a short amount of time.

"The song – famously written by Carey with Walter Afanasieff in less than an hour – has still never reached No 1 in the UK. It spent three weeks at No 2 in 1994, but was kept off the Christmas top spot by East 17’s ballad Stay Another Day." Ben Beaumont-Thomas wrote in a Guardian article titled "Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You reaches US No 1 after 25 years" released on December 17, 2019.

"All I Want For Christmas Is You" highlights togetherness during Christmastime. Mariah, like many other out there, doesn't want a lot for Christmas. They just need their loved ones to celebrate Christmas together with.

Mariah released the album "Merry Christmas" in 1994, which complements the beauty of Christmas. Its tracks were repeatedly played in shopping malls and by radio stations.

The Best Christmas Song

"All I Want For Christmas Is You" might be released back in 1994, but its popularity remains strong.

Other Christmas songs can't seem to compete with it. Mariah seems to become richer every Christmas with that song.

"Carey’s hit All I Want for Christmas is You resurges, and even grows in popularity, every year. Billboard reported that Carey and her label Sony Music made $1.36 million in royalties based on streams and downloads of her hit single during the 2021 holiday season. The Economist also estimated in 2017 the song had generated more than $60 million in revenue in total." Conor Murray wrote in a Forbes article titled "Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You Copyright Lawsuit Is Her Latest Holiday-Related Legal Battle" released on November 2, 2023.

Mariah's dream of creating timeless hit came true. Her song was continuously being played and became near and dear to those who celebrate Christmas. Many can't even imagine other Christmas songs to listen to while celebrating with their family and friends.

Mariah's achievements with "All I Want For Christmas Is You" were deemed spectacular, cementing her status as the Queen of Christmas Songs. However, that doesn't mean that others can't aim for that title.

Writer: Vicky Octarina Arsandi